Saturday, August 15, 2009

To save time, I don't sort out stray beads at the end of beading workshops or parties. I just place them in a plastic container. I also add beads I find on the floor of my basement workshop - it's amazing how often they roll out of sight only to be found later.

The design is quick and easy to do. You can have a lot of fun putting together an eclectic mix for a funky necklace. What makes this tutorial so inspiring is you can try many different variations based on this tutorial.

For instance you don't have to use 1mm leather cord as above - or even leather at all. I made a second necklace shown below using 2 mm waxed cotton cord, cord ends and a whole bunch of odd gemstone beads - all quartzes including some insipid moonstone beads. It has a more structured look. Thanks Dana for a truly great tutorial!

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You could say Pearl was born to be a jewelry designer with a name like that! She is the author of The Beading Gem's Journal now simply called The Beading Gem, a popular jewelry making, inspirational and how-to website. Subscribe for your daily dose of tips and tutorials and more

Pearl, When I saw that fringe beaded necklace tut I was so elated...I was in a shop in Saratoga Springs yesterday that had the same kind of necklace, but with lots and lots of HUGE beads. I thought I could do it on a smaller scale with my homeless beads...and now I even have a tut for it! How cool is that!

I put left over beads and odd ones that I harvest from broken necklaces in stackable boxes labelled according to colour. I use the beads for my "shades of..." range of necklaces. _ Shades of red is the most popular - also shades of grey!! Each necklace is a fairly random mix of glass, wood, semi precious stone, shell and odd interesting fused glass, ceramic or ethnic beads. The good thing is that each piece is totally unique

I'm far from being organised, that's why I have a system that does it for me and saves so much time. I use the small plastic sets of drawers. labelled , and stack them right next to where I work. As I finish a piece, any beads go straight into a drawer of that colour or type.Apart from colour, I have drawers for focal beads, shell, wood etc. Must say the system has worked wonders for my sanity!!